Lip Man 1

I know who'd I'd like it to be but in all probability it will be an inexperienced guy with some ties to the White Sox simply happy to have a job. As Ozzie once said, "that's the way we roll..." Mark

Pretty bad when the Phillies can beat you three out of four played this season. Oh well. Update: Here's how irrelevant the Sox are becoming. Just caught CSN Chicago's Sports report to see the highlights. When they were done the anchor said, "the Sox will try to avoid the sweep tomorrow..." The Sox are off tomorrow according to my schedule and the Sox web site. Mark

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Sep 20, 2016 -> 08:42 PM) I seriously hope it's a physical issue. Back problem that heals with rest and he is good to go next year If Shields was 24 or so, I'd say maybe....but he's 35. With ten years worth of over 200 innings pitched I believe. He's done. The Sox replaced a bad deal with Danks with another one with Shields. Simply amazing. Mark

I wonder how, if at all, this miscalculation by Hahn may impact the "trust" factor between him and JR in the future. Given the stories that JR had to be talked into this by Hahn you wonder now if this means Kenny assumes a bigger role again going forward...that maybe JR has doubts about Hahn's judgment. Just speculation on my part but this did cross my mind tonight. Mark

QUOTE (Donaldo @ Sep 19, 2016 -> 07:47 PM) In years past, I'd be afraid of Kenny trading each one of these guys away. Well Kenny still has a say in things...so we'll see. Mark

Nice to see Jose comment the way that he did. Sox haven't had any vocal leaders on this team in a long time and I think that's badly needed. They need a Jim Landis-type or Wynn or McDowell or Fisk who won't be afraid to get in someone's face when needed or bust up a toilet. But I agree it does start with the manager and a team takes on the attitude of him or her (depending on the sport...) "It's time" for the Sox to get a real, experienced manager not someone learning on the job or who is just happy to have the chance. We'll see what happens. Mark

QUOTE (ewokpelts @ Sep 18, 2016 -> 12:20 PM) Something Liptak and the author fail to mention is that the Bess Armour Field design was NOT an official design submitted to the Sox or ISFA. It was a SABR project that was published AFTER groundbreaking for what is now known as Guaranteed Rate Field. I hate to link WSI, but they spell it out in the first paragraphs. http://whitesoxinteractive.com/FixComiskey...nversation1.htm Never mind that the Field House for Armour Square park is now under landmark protection, or that you would be displacing a public park that is continually used by residents. Or that you have to buy even more land to build parking for the stadium and surrounding development. But hey, f*** jerry and the city and state for approving a design that was actually submitted for bid review. Ewok: Just to be clear the story at the Chicago Baseball Museum was not written by me. Didn't even know it was coming until I saw it published last week. It is a fact though as the authors wrote in "Ballpark, the Building of Camden Yards" quoting the original architectural designers that they did offer JR directly the option of a Camden Yards design and he rejected it. And they wrote that it was not an associate or someone else in the organization...it was him personally. I don't think you can necessarily hold that against him. No one knew at the time that "retro-parks" would come into vogue however he did have an opportunity to do something unique and different and rejected the idea. I have heard basically the same thing from a number of folks, he wanted basically an in-house way to keep as much revenue as possible and honestly thought the Sox were going to be a "hot item" so he wanted an additional level of suites. Someone perhaps can check this but I don't think the Sox have ever sold out all of their luxury boxes have they? Mark

QUOTE (WBWSF @ Sep 18, 2016 -> 05:16 PM) Most fans seem to think that Ventura won't be back next year managing the White Sox. Everybody seems to think he won't ever be a MLB manager again. I watched the game today and i couldn't help but wonder. In todays game the White Sox had A. Garcia, Sanchez. L. Garcia, Smith, Schuck and Turner in the game. I wouldn't be surprised if these players were no longer with the White Sox next year. I also wouldn't be surprised if these players were no longer in MLB after this season. If any of these players are on a 2017 Opening day MLB roster I would be surprised. We've said that the past few years about a number of guys on the Sox roster...yet the following season, some of them are always still around. They simply don't have quality talent or depth at all levels of the organization yet. Maybe they will some day but not right now. Of the players you specifically mentioned it wouldn't surprise me at all if A. Garcia, L. Garcia, Smith and Sanchez are still in the organization next spring training. Mark

At least it was over early. Beck and Turner...not good. Mark

Just got back late Saturday night from a road game broadcast at Oregon State so I apologize that these are a touch late. (And thanks to Dan Shapiro for his help!) Mid-September was a important time in White Sox history and we've got a number of audio AND video highlights for you to enjoy. We start with September 15, 1983 as the White Sox are closing in on winning the Western Division title. They'd set the team record for the most runs scored in the 6th inning of a game as they got 11 in a 12-0 win over the Mariners that cut their 'magic number' to two. Harold Baines capped that inning off with a grand slam. Announcers are Ken "Hawk" Harrelson and Don Drysdale. Courtesy: WMAQ Radio. http://www.chicagonow.com/soxnet/2016/09/t...nes-grand-slam/ For September 16, it's now 2007. A bad season at least ends with an impressive accomplishment as Jim Thome blasted his 500th career home run. A game winner as the Sox came back to beat the Angels 9-7. We've got the audio AND video for this one. Ken "Hawk" Harrelson calls it. Courtesy: Comcast Sports Chicago. http://www.chicagonow.com/soxnet/2016/09/t...r-is-a-walkoff/ And then for September 17, we've got a couple clips for your listening pleasure. Thanks to a sacrifice fly from Harold Baines in the 9th inning the Sox took down Seattle 4-3 to win the Western Division and make the playoffs for the first time in 24 seasons. Quite a night...quite a season! It's Early Wynn and Lorn Brown calling it from Comiskey Park. Courtesy: WMAQ Radio. In the locker room afterwards which was pure chaos, manager Tony LaRussa talked about the title with both Brown and Wynn. Courtesy: WMAQ Radio. Both of those audio clips can be found here: http://www.chicagonow.com/soxnet/2016/09/t...west-was-won-2/ Mark

QUOTE (GreenSox @ Sep 16, 2016 -> 03:15 PM) But Beck and Kahnle may be good enough to fill middle relief by next year. Please no to both. Mark

QUOTE (Donaldo @ Sep 16, 2016 -> 06:16 PM) Definitely not subsequent, but the upper deck at the old Yankee Stadium always looked very steep to me. I always thought the 300 (Club) Level was kinda pointless. IIRC, the first row of seats in the upper deck is higher up than the light towers at the old park... not much of a selling point to me. I think it's actually the last row of seats in the upper deck of the original Comiskey Park was closer to the field than the first row of seats in the upper deck of the new stadium. Mark

QUOTE (bmags @ Sep 15, 2016 -> 03:03 PM) I believe Toronto accused us of knowing Sirotka was injured. But anyway, I agree, you don't allow teams to purposely mislead. Unfair to player/league/fans. Correct. Toronto claimed Williams knew Sirotka was hurt. Williams told Selig in his investigation that he told Toronto there may be something wrong with him and offered Parque instead (who ironically was also hurt! Don't know if Kenny knew that or not though). Selig felt that was important as it basically was the old business law rule of "let the buyer beware..." and said the Sox did nothing wrong. Mark

QUOTE (bmags @ Sep 15, 2016 -> 01:52 PM) I understand this is frowned upon but we do get a chance to give physical so we should be more upset with ourselves. Bmags: I understand the Sox team doctors did have an MRI on his right shoulder and supposedly expressed some slight concerns. Mark

QUOTE (Thad Bosley @ Sep 14, 2016 -> 01:35 PM) Yes, shortly after Baines was traded in '89 they retired his number, which was a bit strange at the time because not only was he still an active player, but at that point in his career he hadn't done nearly enough to warrant having his number retired. Then of course they unretired the number when he came back in '96, and then re-retired it after he finally hung 'em up in '01. The bouncing ball of retired numbers, you might say! August 20, 1989 - After Sox star Harold Baines was traded to Texas on July 29, the team retired his uniform number #3 when the Rangers came to Chicago. He was only the third active player to have his uniform number retired by a club, joining Frank Robinson and Phil Niekro. Mark

QUOTE (Thad Bosley @ Sep 14, 2016 -> 09:24 AM) Terrific article, Lip, and thank you again for yet another great contribution to this site. I very much appreciate and enjoy things like this article and the video/audio links you send. Great stuff! Quick question for you on this article that I'm wondering if you know about. The reference to the 35 degree angle of the infamous upper deck - do you have any insight as to how that compares to the upper decks in the other ballparks built subsequent to the new Comiskey? I've always wondered if the more critical problem with the design of the upper deck was the fact they built the opening at the base, versus in the middle of the deck as you see in many other stadiums. But obviously the 35 degrees was quite steep, but just wondering if that's also the case in other places. I haven't ever seen an actual study done but I have read reports that there are a few other stadiums with an upper deck angle as steep. I even saw one if I remember right that said the upper deck angle was actually steeper than at U.S. Cellular Field. Also thank you for the kind words. Mark

QUOTE (Hatchetman @ Sep 14, 2016 -> 09:15 AM) Interesting read. Who's this George Castle guy? Sounds like another Bad Fan. George has been in the Chicago media for a number of years beginning in the 1970's when he worked for the Tribune. He's a Chicago Baseball Historian. I work with him writing for the CBM and he's an interesting guy. We often disagree on things but I respect his thoroughness when doing stories along the lines of this one on U.S. Cellular Field. Mark

At the Chicago Baseball Museum site there is a terrific story on the history of U.S. Cellular Field including quotes from the architect who unveiled the design for the original Armour Field back in the late 1980's. Thoroughly researched, it sheds some light on the political maneuverings, how and why the Sox placed the park where they did and what could happen in the future. Here is the link if anyone is interested: http://www.chicagobaseballmuseum.org/files...ss-20160913.pdf Mark

QUOTE (gatnom @ Sep 14, 2016 -> 07:14 AM) Man, the attendance argument is really tired. Are there even that many fans to lose? What does losing a couple thousand fans per game really matter if it puts the team on a path to actually being a winning baseball team? The pocket change that the team loses in the short term pales in comparison to the revenue they would generate if they would go on a sustained run of winning. Obviously, people disagree on whether or not there should be a rebuild, but the amount of fans that show up next year is the dumbest argument I've heard, for or against it. Well said. Mark

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 14, 2016 -> 06:11 AM) I am nothing like the typical Sox fan. I don't require years of winning to go to games. Good for you! Clap...clap...clap. Mark

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 14, 2016 -> 06:12 AM) Attendance is the #1 determining factor for advertising, Parking, and concessions. My comment was in response to a poster mentioning that attendance is no longer the main issue regarding team revenue and he's correct to a large extent but it does remain a factor. Mark

Just FYI, perhaps a clue to the off season direction? Scott Merkin ‏@scottmerkin 25m25 minutes ago Chicago, IL Cooper on future CWS rotation: "I think the five starters we have here right now are going to be back. That’s my opinion." If true that means no rebuild and another "go for it" campaign. We'll see what happens. One thing is for sure, they better hope to God Cooper can fix Shields. Mark

QUOTE (Jose Abreu @ Sep 13, 2016 -> 08:53 PM) Here's a question: why does a potential Sale trade's effect on attendance matter to you guys so much? It's 2016, and attendance means so little when it comes to team revenue. It's really just an insignificant figure Cubs fans use to feel better about themselves. Well it is no longer an major important factor but it does have an impact especially given parking and concessions. Mark

QUOTE (greg775 @ Sep 13, 2016 -> 08:27 PM) Has Robin saved his job? Let's hope not. This is nice to see but where was this in June / July??? Sort of meaningless now. Mark

QUOTE (InTheDriversSeat @ Sep 12, 2016 -> 10:45 PM) Today (September 12th) is the 40th anniversary of Bill Veeck's 1976 publicity stunt when Minnie Minoso came out of retirement, and got a hit against the California Angels at the age of 50. Here is the highlight which I believe aired at the time on Channel 44 WSNS. I'm not sure who is in the booth with Harry Carey: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=B2-7SxZ1HG8 . I can't tell either but it sounds a lot like George Grande the long time (now) announcer for the Cincinnati Reds on TV who was one of the first anchors for ESPN's SportsCenter in 1979. Mark